Pubdate: Sat, 09 Sep 2000 Source: Miami Herald (FL) Copyright: 2000 The Miami Herald Contact: One Herald Plaza, Miami FL 33132-1693 Fax: (305) 376-8950 Website: http://www.herald.com/ Forum: http://krwebx.infi.net/webxmulti/cgi-bin/WebX?mherald Author: Carol Rosenberg Marine Gen. Pace Takes Reins At Southcom With pomp, military luminaries from Latin America and the blessings of Secretary of Defense William Cohen, Marine Gen. Peter Pace took charge Friday evening of the Southern Command. Pace, 54, arrived in Miami a lieutenant general, with three stars on his shoulder. But by order of President Clinton, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James L. Jones promoted Pace to the rank of a four- star, with his wife, Lynne, assisting inside Southcom's two-story Doral compound. Soon after, some 750 military and civilian guests squeezed into a huge, circus-style tent outside the building to see Pace take the job from a fellow Marine, Gen. Charles Wilhelm. Pace assumes command of all U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean at a crucial time: just as Congress has approved an unprecedented $1.3 billion in aid for Plan Colombia, an ambitious military and civilian campaign against the drug trafficking that has corrupted that country for years. As a sign of the commander-in-chief's stature, Gen. Fernando Tapias, the commander of military forces in Colombia, came to Miami for the occasion. Speaking before the ceremony, Tapias said he came because the two countries have a common interest, notably "the war on drugs," but also "because of the affection that we in Colombia have for General Wilhelm. He's really been a leader in South America." Of Pace, he said, he had confidence in him because Wilhelm had spoken with great support for his fellow Marine. The defense secretary presided over the proceedings, paying an exceptionally tender tribute to Wilhelm, who retired Friday from a 37- year military career that stretched back to Vietnam. "With great tactical skill and strategic genius, he forged deeper bonds with the democracies of this hemisphere," Cohen said shortly after a farewell 21-gun Howitzer salute set off car alarms throughout Southcom's sprawling parking lots. So he opened with a quip: "First of all, if there are any cars with dead batteries, please see General Pace." Later, the defense secretary saluted Pace's promotion, saying "this straight-talking soldier of the sea has had the best possible training for this new post -- having served under Charlie Wilhelm." He called Pace "a man of extraordinary ability, with the skill, experience and judgment to carry on the critical work of this Command." Of Wilhelm, he said, he "faced one of the most daunting challenges that our region must overcome -- the surge of narcotics that rots the fabric of so many societies." Pace moves to Miami from Norfolk, Va., where he was commander of Marines deployed to European theaters and to the Southern Command. In brief remarks, Pace turned to Cohen and said: "I understand the enormity of the mission you have given me. I will not betray your trust, sir." Hundreds of uniformed men and women turned out for the ceremony, from all four services, as well as the U.S. ambassador to Panama, Simon Ferro; and the U.S. ambassadors to the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. Wilhelm spoke fondly of his "thousand days in command," begun in Miami in September 1997 as he presided over the withdrawal of military forces from Panama under the treaty to relinquish the Canal Zone. During his tenure as the first Marine to command Southcom, Wilhelm, 59, oversaw expansion of humanitarian and relief activities in the region, championed Plan Colombia, and was an outspoken advocate of buying the Doral headquarters to secure Southcom's permanent presence in Miami- Dade. Pace said at his confirmation hearings in Washington this week that he supported Wilhelm's plan to seek $40 million for the property in a fiscal year 2002 congressional appropriation -- and would not revisit that decision. There were two Marines called Pete Pace at Friday's ceremony. The general's son is a first lieutenant and executive officer of Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, based in California. The general also has a daughter, a recent college graduate. - --- MAP posted-by: John Chase